Frank Vassallo

I think it’s a great way for kids to learn life skills. Working as a team, and the other lessons they are learning now will follow them throughout life.

— Frank Vassallo

Growing up on Long Island, Frank Vassallo worked in the deli section of the grocery store chain, King Kullen. Little did he know that 26 years later he would still be working for the grocer, only now he is the Assistant Vice President of Store Operations for all 37 store locations.

King Kullen strives to be a good member of the community, and Frank and his co-workers organize many volunteer efforts, food drives, and fundraisers so that King Kullen employees can help support the communities they serve.

The job, along with the commitment to volunteer service, keep Frank quite busy. But he also carves out time to help kids in his hometown of Hicksville, New York. He volunteers for the town's Lacrosse Police Activity League (PAL), which provides all kids the opportunity to play lacrosse. There are no tryouts to make the team, no kids are cut, and everybody gets to play. He first got involved as a volunteer coach when his twin daughters, Frances and Danielle, joined the program. Frank also has a five-year-old daughter Hailey, and he looks forward to coaching her on the lacrosse field.

"I think it's a great way for kids to learn life skills," said Frank. "Working as a team, and the other lessons they are learning now will follow them throughout life. You learn a lot as a youth in these programs, beyond just how to play the lacrosse. I just get a thrill out of it and enjoy it."

He enjoys it so much he has stayed on and now runs the girls' lacrosse PAL program for the town. Donating his time to ensure kids get positive reinforcement and life skills through sports. In his free time, Frank is a motorcycle enthusiast and loves spending time with his family. His wife of 19 years, Mary-Ellen, will join him on the cruise!